Lake Windermere

Lake Windermere

Thursday 28 August 2014

OCTOBERFEST!



As you can see dear reader that I am just amending the blog of 28 August in order to keep the You Tube clip of my Alderney to France swim at the top of the page. Greater minds than I have tried without success to move it to the side. One day this may happen. I shall ask a child to do it.

The start of October has seen balmy days so the Nene has maintained a steady 16/17C. The weather looks like cooling now but fear not, I shall still dip my toes and swim as long as I can in the river.

The big problem last winter was not the temperature, but the height and speed of the river as the winter rains made it dangerous to swim. I am hardy, not foolhardy!

I am planning my 2015 campaign at the moment. Looking at round Jersey and hopefully one other big swim. I will keep you posted.

Just received Blackberry Smoke live. Fanbloody tactic! Southern rock lives on.






The swimming season is rapidly drawing to a close with shorter, cooler days.
I am still getting into the river a couple of times a week and the water is still a very pleasant 17C.

Yesterday I had a great swim with 24C air, just lovely! I intend to swim all winter so hopefully we won't have all the rain that fell last year as the river then was the highest and fastest that I have seen.

Despite mentally retiring in the middle of my Alderney to France swim, I am now looking at swims for 2015. I have a slot for a 44 mile Round Jersey swim but this slot may be taken by one of the many swimmers that had their swim blown out this year and will be resheduled next year.

Rest assured, I will do something long and hard and I really fancy a warmer water swim somewhere in the world. Keep buying the Lottery tickets!

Elton John's High Flying Bird. How good is that!


MEDIA FRENZY



Well dear reader, it has been a hectic 10 days since my historic aurigny Alderney to France swim.

As well as appearing on ITV, I have been on 3 BBC stations and have had a ridiculous amount of coverage in local, national and international press.

This was a very tough swim as the Race of Alderney was very challenging and never let me get into a settled rhythm. The tidal movement was immense and took me way around the top of the Cap de la Hague landing me on the northern coast of the peninsula.

As you can see from the You Tube clip above, my landing lacked a certain amount of elegance! Just as I was approaching the coast the tide changed and started to take me back out to sea. I had to fight the tide to land and the beach had rough boulders under the water. There was nowhere to put my feet, hence my Frosby Flop onto the shore.

The fun didn't finish there as the RIB that was picking me up to take me back to the pilot boat couldn't get in through the tide flowing over the rocks. I had to climb off the beach, walk over a track over a headland and climb down to the next beach where the RIB could get in. All in my swimmers, cap and goggles at 7 45 in the evening. Luckily there were no locals to be seen as they must have run off as I emerged from the deep!

Many thanks to everyone in Alderney for making us all feel so welcome.
aurigny  for all your support.
Bugsy, Roland, Paul, Holly, Tim, Diana. Stephen and Lucy you were all wonderful.

Back to the real world now, school is open, Kate, Tabby and Phoebe have gone home and Lizzie has gone with them for the week.

Got The Best of Pink Floyd. Never been much of a fan but I am actually enjoying it!



Sunday 24 August 2014

RECORD HOLDER!

I am happy to report that I succeeded in crossing the Enlish Channel from Alderney to France in a time of 6 hours 27 minutes.
This makes me the only person to have swum to France from 2 different Channel Islands

I will put a full report of the swim on here soon but check these newsreports out first!

http://guernseypress.com/news/2014/08/22/teacher-is-first-person-to-swim-to-france-from-alderney-and-jersey/

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11312632&ref=rss

http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_guernseynews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=512532

Teacher completes second Channel swim

David Coleman David Coleman has swum the English Channel four times

A man from Northamptonshire has become the first person to swim from two of the Channel Islands to France.
David Coleman, who was born in New Zealand but now teaches at a private school in England, had already swam from Jersey to France in 2013.
He completed the 13 mile (21km) swim from Alderney to France on 21 August in 6 hours and 27 minutes.
He said: "It felt like I was in a washing machine a lot, other times I didn't feel like I was moving at all."
He completed the Jersey to France swim in July 2013 in 9 hours and 18 minutes.
'Going backwards' Mr Coleman said the tides were a major issue from him on the Alderney swim and at one point was going backwards.
"I think the water was 16 or 17 [degrees], I swam without a wetsuit and didn't notice the water temperature being cold or warm. It certainly wasn't warm but it was perfect for me.
"As we got 100m from the beach in France the tide changed and instead of being swept in I found myself going backwards across the tide. I had to swim diagonally across it, which put another 20 minutes on it.
"It was a horrible feeling, it was one of the worst feelings I've had on any of my swims. I was so close, I was 60 strokes away and I was going backwards, back out to sea."
Mr Coleman added that he does not expect to swim the English Channel again as he has done it four times.

Monday 18 August 2014

aurigny ALDERNEY to FRANCE ON!

My aurigny  Alderney to France swim is on for this week.

At the moment the wind looks manageable although the air and water temperatures will probably be on the cool side.

My girls are looking forward to their mini break and can't wait to see their Koro swim off into the distance so they can have the day to themselves. True love.

I have had a lot of media interest so I will update links as articles are published. See my last post for the last week's effort.

See ya when I see ya.


Thursday 14 August 2014

NEWSPAPER LINK

I know that you have had trouble sleeping at night waiting for the link for the newspaper article about my

aurigny Alderney to France swim. Here is the link.
Enjoy!

http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/top-stories/loddington-teacher-in-channel-island-swim-challenge-1-6224999

Friday 8 August 2014

FAMOUS FOR 15 MINUTES!

As Andy said I am having my 15 minutes of fame this week as I am featured in the local paper, The Evening Telegraph. I imagine you could look up the article online, I haven't worked that out yet.

Countdown now to my aurigny Alderney to France swim on the 21st of August. I am enjoying my last peaceful training swims in the river before I hit the Channel again. Can't wait as I am ready to go.

Doug, Kate, Tabitha and Phoebe have been here since last week. Poor Doug could only stay a week before heading back to work, but the girls are here until September. Kate has been swimming with me and Tabby has also been in the river. She finds it a bit cold so she needs to harden up if she is to develop into a long distance swimmer like her Koro. She has plenty of time as she is only 2.

Hope you like the new photos on my site and the AURIGNY logo. This is thanks to Doug. It's all magic to me.

Nickelback on Planet Rock at the moment. Photograph. Great rock!


Setting off. 7am. Only 13 and a half hours to go!